Reformissionary

Revival: Hansen, Keller, DeMoss

Collin Hansen interviews Tim Keller and Nancy Leigh DeMoss on revival. Great conversation. So many things I could quote, but here's one of my favorite quotes by Keller (35 seconds in)...

In the last 20 or 30 years, because the society's changed and because we are finding it harder to reach people, there's been an enormous amount of intellectual and emotional energy given to: How are we reaching these people? And we've actually, I think, put all of our energy into that and it seems to have sucked a lot of the air out of the room. So people just aren't, they're more concerned with: How are we going to reach people who are so hard to reach? When I think Dr. Lloyd-Jones in his lectures on revival has actually said that you need revival more in a time like that, because what the world doesn't see is a beautiful church. A church with people filled with the Spirit, people who the Gospel's changed their lives and are loving one another. And honestly the best way to reach people is to show them something gorgeous here. And we shouldn't be too worried about all the various kinds of new strategies we're supposed use. So I actually feel like the strategies for evangelism, and, you know, I'm an evangelist, and I still feel like it's taken a lot of the emphasis away from asking God to revive our churches. (emphasis mine)

HT: Jared

Tim Keller: Dispersed Ministry

From Dr. Keller's latest blog post "Lloyd-Jones on the Practice of Real Preaching"...

I would argue that in a post-Christian culture, preaching will not be effective in the gathered assembly if Christians are not also highly effective in their scattered state. In our times, people will be indifferent or hostile to the idea of attending church services without positive contact with Christians living out their lives in love and service. Therefore the incarnational "dispersed" ministry of the church is extremely vital and necessary.

Keller | Lloyd-Jones on the Efficacy of Preaching Today

Tim Keller has a new blog post on Lloyd-Jones on the Efficacy of Preaching. A blurb...

...if you make preaching central to your ministry, you are indeed expecting that the public ministry of the Word will be attractive and draw people in. At this point the Doctor takes the main objection—"they won't come"—head on. He says bluntly, "The answer is that they will come, and that they do come…" Now the Doctor was speaking of his own ministry at Westminster Chapel in central London after World War II. Church attendance throughout Europe plunged after the war, for a mixture of reasons. In that situation, he began preaching his long, theological, expositional sermons, and slowly the huge auditorium filled. His evening services were twice the size of the morning services, since people from all over London came to bring their non-Christian friends. I dare say that something similar happened to us in New York City over the past two decades, and in an analogous context. (emphasis mine)

Read the whole post: Lloyd-Jones on the Efficacy of Preaching

Books on the Cross

I posted a Twitter question asking for favorite books on the Cross. Here are the responses given without comment. My favorites are at the end.

6 Mentions

• The Cross of Christ | John Stott

2 Mentions 

• Redemption Accomplished and Applied | John Murray
• 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die | John Piper
• Death By Love | Mark Driscoll

1 Mention

• King's Cross | Tim Keller
• The Death of Death in the Death of Christ | John Owen
• Scandalous | DA Carson
• In My Place Condemned He Stood | Packer and Dever
• The Cross and Christian Ministry | DA Carson
• Christus Victor | Gustaf Aulen
• The Cross-Centered Life | CJ Mahaney
• God the Peacemaker | Graham Cole
• The Cross and Salvation | Bruce Demarest
• A Scandalous Beauty | Thomas Schmidt
• Jesus and the Victory of God | NT Wright
• Crucifixion | Martin Hengel
• Spectacular Sins | John Piper
• The Wonderous Cross | Stephen Holmes
• Atonement | TF Torrence

Fake Joe Thorn said Note To Self, but maybe he wasn't serious. :)

My response, 5 of my favorites...

• The Cross of Christ | John Stott - clear winner for me too
• 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die | John Piper
• Redemption Accomplished and Applied | John Murray
• Jesus' Blood and Righteousness | Brian Vickers
• The Cross-Centered Life | CJ Mahaney

Keller | Lloyd-Jones on the Primacy of Preaching

Here's a snippit from Tim Keller's blog post today: Lloyd-Jones on the Primacy of Preaching...

Dr. Lloyd-Jones effectively dismantles the idea that watching a video or listening to an audio of a sermon is as good as coming physically into an assembly and listening to a sermon with a body of people. It is obviously a good thing if a person who never hears or reads the Bible listens to the recording of a good gospel message and is helped by it. But the Doctor argues that people experience the sermon in a radically different way if they hear it together with a body of listeners and if they see the preacher. Watching on a screen or listening as you walk detaches you and the sermon becomes mere information, not a whole experience. There is a power and impact that the media cannot convey.

Read Dr. Keller's entire post.

Redeemer City to City

Redeemer City to City, a network founded by Redeemer NYC and Dr. Tim Keller, has a new site up and it looks great. Here's a video intro to their ministry.

Books I'm Reading & Reviewing Soon

Books I'm set to review soon. Click on a cover for more info.

Tim Keller on Preaching to Himself

Tim Keller, at about 7 minutes in to the 2nd Q&A session with Bryan Chapell (from these discussions), is basically asked, How do you ["preach the gospel to yourself every day"]? I worked hard to do justice to how Keller stated these things. Hope it's helpful.

I try to do petition in the morning. I try to do repentance in the evening. So I try to pray in the morning and in the evening. In the evening I look back on what I did wrong and repent. 

But in the middle of the day I try to catch myself and I look for four kinds of emotions. 

I always pray in the morning, "Lord make me happy enough in the grace of Jesus to avoid being proud, cold, scared, and hooked."

• Now, by proud I mean what you think, too self-congratulatory. And maybe disdainful of people who I don't think have it together.
• Cold means I'm just too absorbed in my concerns to really be compassionate and gracious and warm and joyful to the people around me. 
• Scared means I'm just obviously too anxious and worried.
• Hooked means...when you're overworked, it means for me...eating. Eating things I shouldn't eat just because it's a way of keeping my energy up, and also because it's a way of rewarding myself. Or looking at women more than once.

So: proud, cold, scared, hooked.

Now, in the middle of the day I get it out and say, "Have I been proud, scared, cold, or hooked in the last 3-4 hours. And the answer usually is "Yeah." And then I say, "How do I bring the Gospel to bear on that? How does the grace of God deal with it?" And you try to catch yourself in those feelings. So basically finding problem feelings and inordinate desires, catch them when they're happening, try to deal with them with the Gospel right there.

I call that "Quick Strike" on my idols around noon, if I can remember it. And repentance at night and petition in the morning. So I try to get into God's presence three times a day.

[...]

I know the times in which I've been most prone to temptation is when I've basically drop-kicked the whole practice, the discipline of it, for weeks on end because I've just been so busy and running ragged and that's when I can really sense myself being vulnerable.

Bryan Chapell Discussion with Tim Keller

Tim Keller was at Covenant Seminary and had a discussion with his friend and Covenant President Bryan Chapell (podcasted in December of 2010). Bryan Chapell led a two part discussion with him followed by a two part question & answer time.

The heart of the conversation was Counterfeit Gods, but tons of other rich, helpful stuff. We get stuff from Keller's prayer life, to the three year revival at Redeemer (according to Jonathan Edwards' standards), to the difficulties and blessings of 9/11 at Redeemer, to his thoughts on how getting "fame" as a pastor late in life has impacted Redeemer and their future and the push for leadership development, to how he prepares sermons, and bunches more. So good.

MP3's are below (original source). Or do as I did: go subscribe to Living Christ Today podcast and find the episodes from December. Tons of other great stuff there from Chapell and others. 

Click to listen, right click to download...

Discussion 1 | Discussion 2 || Q&A 1 | Q&A 2

Tim Keller | King's Cross -- out today!

King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus by Tim Keller is officially out today. Go get it. It's only $12.99 on Kindle.

Other helpful links...

• Tim Keller Resources
• Generous Justice
• The Prodigal God
• Counterfeit Gods
• The Reason for God
• Ministries of Mercy
• Gospel in Life Study

GIVEAWAY: Tim Keller | King's Cross

I've been given the chance, thanks to the fine folks at Dutton Books (@DuttonBooks) to GIVEAWAY TWO COPIES of Dr. Timothy Keller's newest book, King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus (Kindle | audio). It will be released on February 22nd. This is also the first book to have the Redeemer imprint, for books about faith and ministry in global culture. Pretty exciting stuff at full price, but you get the chance to WIN A FREE COPY!

Here's how it works...

STEP 1: Copy & share the following without the quote marks on Twitter (if you aren't on Twitter, use Facebook, or do BOTH!): "Want a FREE copy of King's Cross by Tim Keller? RT this & comment at Reformissionary to enter! http://bit.ly/g9eGgh "

STEP 2: Leave a comment below (so I can verify you did step 1). Include your full name and real email address (kept private) so I can contact the winners. For fun, guess the number of books (from my library) sitting on my desk right now. It's between 1-100.

I will randomly choose 2 winners in the late afternoon/early evening on Friday (18th).

GO! (And check out my page filled with other Tim Keller Resources)

Tim Keller - Find The Way | Understanding Sin | Webcast

New Tim Keller resources for you...

1. I listened to Keller's recently released free sermon "How to Find the Way" twice last night. You should download it. The broad way & the narrow way.
2. New article "Understanding Sin." (original link location)
3. Dr. Keller will be on a live webast with Gabe Lyons on Thursday. 

DG Interview with Tim Keller (Pt1 & Pt2)

Here are both parts of Scott Anderson's (@anderson_scott) interview with Tim Keller for Desiring God on Tim's new book, Generous Justice. Also check out: My review of Generous Justice | My Tim Keller Resources page | King's Cross, Tim's next book out next month.

(via Pt1 & Pt2)

Book Review: Generous Justice

I've been given the opportunity to follow up my review of Dr. Timothy Keller's Counterfeit Gods (buy) with a review of Generous Justice. Thanks to Dutton for the book. It's another great addition to his works: The Reason for God, The Prodigal God, and the long-ago written Ministries of Mercy. Dr. Keller is pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC. If you haven't yet, you should check out my Tim Keller Resources page.

A lot has been said in recent years of orthodoxy & (or vs) orthopraxy. We have become a people who know the Book but don't "do" what the Book tells us to do. We aren't being changed. We are better on paper than we are in practice.

And we don't take correction well. It takes a distinct voice to speak in a way we can hear, to lift the conversation above misunderstanding and reactionary responses. I believe Tim Keller is one of those voices and has accomplished that goal. He's done it before. For example, in The Reason for God he elevates the conversation with skeptics. I've read and encouraged others to read his Introduction there a number of times because it changes the conversation, it raises it "to the level of disagreement." Brilliant stuff. I think Keller does that again here on a polarizing topic: Justice.

"Scars" from old battles are hard to overcome. Theological conservatives, like me, tend to react against issues beloved by theological liberals, like social justice. And the more justice issues are brought up, the more likely (typically) theological conservatives will be leery of an author. But, and all man-love aside, Tim Keller in Generous Justice has done something I consider remarkable. He has cut through the thicket on justice to show us a clearing. It's a breath of fresh air among stuck arguments and stuffy minds.

Here's how Keller sets up his argument from the introduction... 

Elaine Scarry of Harvard has written a fascinating little book called On Beauty and Being Just. Her thesis is that the experience of beauty makes us less self-centered and more open to justice. I have observed over the decades that when people see the beauty of God's grace in Christ, it leads them powerfully toward justice.

Through dealing with several Old & New Testament passages, including word studies made simple (not just a scholarly work), Keller writes deep enough for the scholar and simple enough for the layperson. He shows himself well-read in both historic Christianity and modern cultural scholarship. Several times I found myself finding the endnotes for more info on an author or book I've never heard of and want to check out.

Some of my favorite sections are on biblical passages I'm very familiar with but Keller explains in a fresh way, such as his explanations of gleaning, tithing and Jubilee in chapter 2. Keller argues with these concepts that, "God's concern for the poor is so strong that he gave Israel a host of laws that, if practiced, would have virtually eliminated any permanent underclass" (p 27). I have not encountered a discussion on business and profit like this before (p 30). I believe it will shake the rich up and, Lord-willing, lead them toward justice. Keller reveals how profoundly American (and worldly) we are, yet he uses thoughtful, biblical argument to open our eyes. 

Then Keller discusses Jesus and "your neighbor" in chapters 3 and 4. His explanation of The Good Samaritan in chapter 4 is rich. Just as he makes Luke 15 and "The Prodigal Son" come alive in The Prodigal God, he continues to surprise us at our own dullness as he reveals the *sparkle* of familiar stories. In this instance he does it both through exposition of biblical texts as well as the liberal use of the writings of Jonathan Edwards. Keller works through the objections he's received to teaching love for neighbor and the answers he's seen from Edwards. His use of Edwards is compelling. Then Keller does what too many fail to do with The Good Samaritan, which is bring Jesus directly to bear. Instead of teaching the parable merely as the great example of how to love neighbor, he goes one step further.

Jesus is the Great Samaritan to whom the Good Samaritan points. 

Before you can give this neighbor-love, you need to receive it. Only if you see that you have been saved graciously boy someone who owes you the opposite will you go out into the world looking to help absolutely anyone in need. (p 77)

Keller then discusses the motivation for doing justice, treasuring human beings because they are creations of the Almighty. It's how we show God respect, by seeing His image in people. He mentions our redemption as motivation. Keller says, "If you look down at the poor and stay aloof from their suffering, you have not really understood or experienced God's grace" (p 96). "If you are not just, you've not truly been justified by faith" (p 99). How can someone who has experienced justification not respond by doing justice? When you understand the gospel, you see the poor and realize you are looking into a mirror. There can be no superiority or indifference when you get God's grace toward you.

Biblical background and motivations in mind, Keller gets practical in chapter 6. He says it should be our constant thought, to look for ways to do justice. We should ponder it. We should have "sustained reflection" on issues and places of justice. He considers big justice needs and areas. He discusses education and social capital, the need for business owners to be neighbors, racial reconciliation, and more. But then he does zero in on what everyday, neighborhood Christians can do. He mentions the mission of London City Mission as "the same person, going to the same people, regularly, to become their friend for Jesus's sake" (p 143). I love that. Keller does well to bring all our efforts, individually and organizationally, to bear on a community needing justice. "While the institutional church should do relief inside and around its community, the 'organic' church should be doing development and social reform" (p 146).

Keller also considers justice in the world of ideas, the public square. Keller's proposal: "Christians' work for justice should be characterized by both humble cooperation and respectful provocation" (p 158). I'm particularly encouraged by Keller's understanding of being distinctly Christian even when working in cooperation with others...

Christians should identify themselves as believer as they seek justice, welcoming and treating all who work beside them as equals. Believers should let their co-workers know of how the gospel is motivating them, yet also...they should appeal to common values as much as possible. (p 161)

Keller avoids pitfalls on both liberal and conservative sides by encouraging bold Christian work for justice while embracing a cooperation with others for the good of the oppressed. Yet he says Christians should "at the same time be respectfully provocative with them, arguing that their models of justice are reductionistic and incomplete" (p 164).

I love the way Keller ends Generous Justice. A chapter on "Peace, Beauty, and Justice." He ends where he started, remember the quote from Elaine Scarry above. Here Keller focuses on "shalom" or "harmonious peace." He refers to the "interwovenness" of rightly related human beings into community. He describes shalom as "flourishing in every dimension -- physical, emotional, social, and spiritual" (p174). Keller considers shalom and justice...

In general, to 'do justice' means to live in a way that generates a strong community where human beings can flourish. Specifically, however, to 'do justice' means to go to places where the fabric of shalom has broken down, where the weaker members of societies are falling through the fabric, and to repair it. This happens when we concentrate on and meet the needs of the poor.

How can we do that? The only way to reweave and strengthen the fabric is by weaving yourself into it. (p 177)

But Keller doesn't paint us as the hero. We do justice "because serving the poor honors and pleases God, and honoring and pleasing God is a delight to you in and of itself" (p 183). Loving and seeking justice means hard work. It's painful and people are difficult to love. But Keller says, "Don't shrink, says the Lord, from spending yourself on the broken, the hurting, and the needy. I'm good for it" (p 185).

Keller has written the best sort of book. He deals with something that has and can divide us, and does it winsomely. He does it biblically and theologically. He does it convincingly and compellingly. I finished Generous Justice desiring to see the hurting and oppressed with new eyes, a new generosity, and a new desire for shalom. 

This book is suited to many audiences. It can be read and understood by the average Christian and the more learned. I think it will be quite helpful for Christians involved in the leadership of business or government. Those responsible for much will be challenged to do it different, do it justly. And yet those with the simplest of lives and in the smallest of places will see in this book the profound, eternal purpose of God as they seek justice where they live. What a great gift a book like this is! 

I highly recommend Generous Justice, though I'm sure I haven't done the book justice (pun intended). There are a few books I know will be a constant reference for the remainder of my life, and this is one of them. Go get it.

Purchase Generous Justice | Christianity Today interview with Tim Keller | Other reviews: Chuck Huckaby | 9 Marks | Brian Hedges

 

Why Think About Revival?

Following Tim Keller's posts on revival which I mentioned a few days ago, Ray Ortlund adds some thoughts. Ortlund lists the four reasons why we need to think about revival from Lectures on Revivals by WB Sprague (the book Keller also mentioned, which I'm using as a part of my sermon prep on a series on revival I started on Sunday)...

1. The subject of revival is relevant to the times
2. Revival matters for the future
3. However we understand revival carries impact
4. Every church member is needed in revival

Go read Ray Ortlund's full post for more. I can't help but wonder if the talk about revival among some important leaders might be pointing us to a work that God might do among us. Come, Lord!

Revival: Ways & Means -- Tim Keller

Tim Keller posted "Revival: Ways and Means" today at Redeemer City to City. He said, "I think we can carefully talk about some factors that, when present, often become associated with revival by God's blessing." Here are his 5 ways and means...

1. Extraordinary prayer
2. Recovery of the grace-gospel
3. Renewed individuals
4. Use of the gospel on the heart in counseling
5. Creativity

Read the entire post, "Revival: Ways and Means", for more. Also check out his previous post, "Revival (Even) on Broadway." Great stuff! It's cool when someone who has been such a blessing to me is writing on the same topic God has been stirring up in me.

Coming Attractions 11.18.10

Here are a few things in the works...

1. Ads: You can see that I'm gearing up for some advertising on the right sidebar. I've thought about it for a long time & had some advertisers express some interest. I'm going to give it a go. It would be financially helpful for my family during tight times. If you are interested, click on an "Advertise Here" link. 

2. Links: I also want to add that whenever you see a link of mine to a book or music on Amazon with the Reformissiona-20 tag on it, that means I get a small cut for recommending it. It adds nothing to your cost. It's the same as if you went straight to Amazon. Essentially by buying products with my link you get same good price and help supply my book budget. I have no other book budget than this. Thanks for supporting it. And I work very hard not to just point you to anything in the hope of making some cash. I skip over recommending many deals that I don't personally want to recommended.

3. Reviews: I have reviews coming on Tim Keller's new book, Generous Justice, and Jim Elliff's reworking of Pursuing God. Both are great. Hope to get to both very soon.

4. Writing Projects: I have several blog articles in the works that have been fermenting for a while and that I'm excited about. I want to get a regular schedule for posting articles in the next couple of weeks. Look for that. I'm saying it publicly so I feel guilty if I don't get it started. :)

5. Phriday is for Photos: I haven't been very active in photography lately, but I'm also planning on getting it kicking again. 

6. Molly: I know it doesn't seem like a very cool "coming attraction," but expect more soon about my wife's battle with Chiari I Malformation. The blog has helped her to connect and minister to many women who are suffering the same things and scared. 

7. Tim Keller Resources: It's been a while since I seriously worked on my TK Resource page. Without doing anything a few things there look broken. I hope to get it back in shape for your resourcing pleasure.

Tim Keller: Urban Plant Life PDFs

Here are PDF's of talks Tim Keller gave at the Urban Plant Life conference in London a couple of years ago. You can also check out the audio/video or grab the podcast. But having documents you can print and search is very helpful. Thanks to @BradAndrews for the heads-up.

1. Gospel Renewal
2. Church & Culture
3. Contextual & Missional
4. Gospel Theology
5. Integrative Ministry
6. Gospel Preaching
7. Gospel Theology
8. Movement Dynamics
9. Church Planting

(original location)

Tim Keller: God's Global Urban Mission

From Lausanne Cape Town 2010 Tim Keller's message "What is God's global urban mission?" is now up on video.

What is God’s Global Urban Mission? from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

Tim Keller: Day Conference

In October there was a Day Conference with Tim Keller in Johannesburg at Rosebank Union Church. All the audio is online. 

• Session 1: The Priority of Churches
• Session 2: Urban Churches & Contextualization
• Session 3: Gospel and Culture
• Session 4: Q and A
• Session 5: Evening City Celebration

Keller: It Takes A Movement To Change A City

Check out the talk by Tim Keller, It Takes A Movement To Change A City, from Movement Day. You can right click to save/download it. The Movement Day website also has talks by Bill Hybels, Ray Bakke & Brenda Salter McNeil.

Tim Keller at Lausanne

Here's a 17+ minute video of Tim Keller talking at Lausanne about how you reach cities by 1. Planting & renewing churches that are contextual to the city, 2. Establishing citywide gospel movements.

Tim Keller: Redeemer Report Articles

I don't think I've linked to the Redeemer Report newsletter from Tim Keller's church. Here are all of Keller's recent articles.

• Sending Everybody (November 2009)
• Thank You. Thank You. Now Let's Repent (December 2009)
• Work and Cultural Renewal (January 2010)
• Lay Leadership and Redeemer’s Future (February 2010)
• Authority (April 2010)
• Long Distance Spirituality (May 2010)
• Faithfulness and Meekness (June 2010)
• The RENEW Campaign and Redeemer’s Future (October 2009)
• Covenant Renewal and Redeemer’s “DNA” (September 2009)
• The Obtrusive Self (June 2009)
• Scoffers, Scorners, and Snark (May 2009)
• The Resurrection and Christian Mission (April 2009)
• Pharisees With Low Standards (February 2009)
• The Grace of The Law (January 2009)
• From “Come and See” To “Go and Share” (September 2010)
• How to Pray Better in Public and in Private, Too (October 2010)

Tim Keller on Creation & Creativity

Tim Keller "Creation & Creativity" Clip from Redeemer Video on Vimeo.

"God was an entrepreneur. He brought something out of nothing. He brought order out of chaos. And why did He do it? He did it, not because He had to, He did it because He wanted to. He did it for the joy of doing it. Creativity, it was just a joy to do. It wasn't a means to an end. It was the end itself. And this, I think, is important because we're made in His image. And therefore you don't really need a reason to create or to start something new. You don't really need a reason. Because...there's a sense in which God did not have to do it. He did it for the joy of doing it. And when you and I know we're made in the image of God it shouldn't surprise us that for a lot of us, especially those who are gifted in this particular area, we do it because we're just reflecting our Creator."

Lots-o-Links 3.24.10

Poets.org: National Poetry Month is one week away

Skye Jethani: Why I Don't Tweet (I left him a comment)

Ed Stetzer for missionSHIFT: Introducing Jeff Vanderstelt (via)

This looks like meals together with believers and unbelievers 2-4 times a week; cleaning up the yard of our widowed neighbor next door; serving at the elementary’s auctions, community events and after school programs; going through “The Story of God” 1-2 times a year with unbelievers to introduce them to the Gospel; sharing our house for others to live with us and join us on the mission; having an “open door” policy to our neighbors and friends; throwing parties regularly to meet more people who we hope will also come to faith in Jesus; etc… We focus on demonstrating the change the Gospel makes in our lives through tangible expressions of serving and declaring the reason why we live this way by sharing the Gospel.

Tim Keller

• Proverbs: A Mini-Guide to Life 
• Serving Each Other Through Reconciliation & Forgiveness

Jamie Munson on Opposition

• Opportunity & The Curse
• Expect Opposition. Really.

Opposition is diverse and relentless and, if given all of your time, deadly. Perspective dies as the opposition blurs our vision. Hope can die as the opposition becomes weightier than the opportunity. Fatigue can kill you if you spend more time running from the opposition than pursuing the opportunity.

What would you say if you had cancer and may not make it until next Christmas? Here's what Zac Smith said...

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Keller: Generous Justice

Tim Keller's new book, Generous Justice, will be released this October. From the publisher...

It is commonly thought in our secular culture that the Bible is one of the great hindrances to doing justice. In Generous Justice, Timothy Keller illuminates a life of justice empowered by an experience of grace: a generous, gracious justice.

Generous Justice is a book for believers who find the Bible a trustworthy guide, as well as for those who suspect that Christianity is a regressive influence in the world.

Keller calls upon life-long Christians to deepen their faith by understanding that justice for the poor and marginalized is central to the Scripture’s message and challenges skeptics to recognize that the Bible is actually the basis for the modern understanding of justice.

(via JT)

Totally Unprepared for God

Anyone who is strongly influenced by the imaginative world of The Shack will be totally unprepared for the far more multi-dimensional and complex God that you actually meet when you read the Bible. 

Tim Keller's blog: The Shack - Impressions

Redeemer City to City

Some good Tim Keller news...Redeemer's Church Planting Center has become Redeemer City to City. Grab their RSS feed. Resources are being put there. Follow them on Twitter, befriend on Facebook, check out their Flickr and Vimeo accounts. Good stuff.

Multi-Site: Tim Keller's Thoughts

Dr. Keller has a blog post on why Redeemer does Multi-Site, a post born out of the USA Today article that included stuff on Redeemer.

Keller: Global Cities Initiative

 From the Redeemer Church Planting Center (via OnMovements.com)...

The Global Cities Initiative Conference took place in New York City on September 9 - 11, 2009.  Over 80 cities were represented by ministry leaders and church planters, and the experience culminated in the signing of a covenant (found in a link to the right under "Related Media.") 

Tim Keller gave three plenary addresses at GCI, which you can stream by clicking on the titles to the right (or download by right-click).  Also to the right are downloadable pdfs of the outlines of these talks, which were distributed at the conference.  The talks were:

September 9th - "Gospel Renewal"
September 10th - "City Focus"
September 11th - "Movements & Ecosystems"

The conference was hosted by Redeemer Church Planting Center in partnership with Transform World Connections, which was founded and is currently led by Luis Bush.

Links to the audio and PDF's...

• Gospel Renewal
• City Focus
• Movements & Ecosystems
• The GCI Covenant
• Gospel Renewal PDF
• City Focus PDF
• Movements & Ecosystems PDF

Tim Keller: Creation, Evolution, and Christian Laypeople

The white paper written by Tim Keller for the November workshop "In Search of a Theology of Celebration" is posted on the BioLogos web site: Creation, Evolution, and Christian Laypeople (or direct link). (via Scot McKnight)

Keller on Criticism

Tim Keller writes a very helpful post on criticism, interacting with John Newton. A blurb...

So whatever you do, do anything you can to avoid feeling smug and superior to the critic. Even if you say to yourself that you are just 'shrugging it off' and that you are not going to respond to the criticism, you can nonetheless conduct a full defense and refutation in the courtroom of your mind, in which you triumphantly prove how awful and despicable your opponents are. But that is a spiritual trap.

Keller's whole post. John Newton: On Controversy.

Review: Counterfeit Gods

I have a thing for Tim Keller. You've noticed? Cool. Just wanted to make sure you know. :)

When I heard that Dr. Keller was publishing Counterfeit Gods (OUT TODAY, October 20th) many months ago I was pumped. Pumped because I like nearly everything he says and writes and one more thing is a good thing. This book has exceeded my highest of expectations, especially after Dr. Keller's excellent talk, The Grand Demythologizer, at The Gospel Coalition this spring.

In Counterfeit Gods, Keller defines idolatry for us...

It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” (xvii)

Or as Keller gets from De Tocqueville, idolatry is "taking an 'incomplete joy of this world' and building your entire life on it." (p xi) 

Keller says that anything can be an idol, idols are often the best things in life, and that all idols will disappoint/lead us to despair because we've lost an "ultimate thing."

Keller deals with some of the biggest idols in individual chapters: love, money, success and power. He also talks about hidden idols that are harder to spot like idols in our culture and religion. 

The angles Keller takes toward each idol is worth noting. Just as in The Prodigal God Keller takes a familiar biblical story and explains it in a fresh way, here he retells stories like Abraham and Isaac, Nebuchadnezzar, Jonah and Jacob afresh. His insights to familiar Scriptures are one of Keller's greatest gifts to the Church and very helpful in Counterfeit Gods.

As you would expect if you have read or heard Dr. Keller before, this book is thoroughly Gospel-centered. Jesus is our great hope in the middle of a world of idols, and a heart of idols. 

Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart, than your idol...If you uproot the idol and fail to 'plant' the love of Christ in its place, the idol will grow back. (p 172)

I have been reading this book in pieces as I have been preaching on idolatry this autumn. I've referenced it numerous times. A few quotes I've used...

We never imagine that getting our heart's deepest desires might be the worst thing that can ever happen to us. (p 1)

If we are not willing to hurt our career in order to do God's will, our job will become a counterfeit god. (p 14)

The idol of success cannot be just expelled, it must be replaced. The human heart's desire for a particular valuable object may be conquered, but its need to have some such object is unconquerable. (p 93)

The normal response to our sense of powerlessness is to deny it, to find people to dominate and control in order to live in that denial. (p 124-125)

I have to be honest...Counterfeit Gods has brought some serious conviction in my heart. A part of it is the sermons I've prepared with the book as a foundational resource (though I haven't preached through this book). But mostly it's been the words of Keller, who knows how to take biblical truth and deliver it to the heart in practical and profound ways. My idols have been exposed.

Counterfeit Gods will be sitting on our church book table, given to those in leadership, and recommended to any number of people. It will have great benefit for both Christians and non-Christians. I can't recommend this book enough. Buy it and read it. Also check out the review by Trevin Wax.

Tim Keller - Blog

Tim Keller is now blogging. Check out his first post on Willow Creek.

REN3W Video - Redeemer NYC

Check out the REN3W Campaign from Redeemer, & this beautiful, artistic intro (go full screen)...

REN3W Vision Campaign from Redeemer Video on Vimeo.

Books I'm Reading

I'm into three books right now that really have me excited. Wanted to encourage you to check them out. I have reviews coming soon.

1. Deep Church - Jim Belcher (@jimbelcher) (Buy: Westminster, IVP, Amazon: out of stock)

I'm 140 pages in and just love this book. It's analysis and critique of both the emerging and traditional church with a compelling "third way" beyond those two. The analysis of the emerging church as well as Brian McLaren has really been outstanding. Belcher's understanding of the third way resonates very strongly with me.

2. Fight Clubs - Jonathan Dodson (download for free, buy copies at Resurgence)

Jonathan is a friend and I've been looking forward to this booklet for a while. "Fight Clubs are about promoting gospel-centered discipleship, groups of two to three men or women fighting the fight of faith." It's fairly short and is an easy read. Practical and helpful advice from a Gospel-rich author and pastor.

3. Counterfeit Gods - Tim Keller (releases on Oct 20th - Amazon)

Have you heard of Tim Keller? :) I am preaching a series on idolatry starting on September 6th and will be using this book as a resource. I can't say much yet as I've only gotten a little of the way in and so far haven't seen much beyond what I've read or heard from Dr. Keller in other places. But I'm pumped about this book and can't wait to get deeper into it.

How Tim Keller Found Manhattan

New Christianity Today article by Tim Stafford: How Tim Keller Found Manhattan.

Lots-o-Links 6.2.09

Brief Molly Update: All is very well with Molly and her Chiari issues. Sleeping is pretty much completely normal. She is taking no meds, works out regularly, volunteers in the schools, etc. Life is pretty much back to normal. We are so thankful to God for His mercy and her health. For a while we thought there may be no more days like this. 

John Piper: The Pastor as Scholar

Resurgence: Re:Train (Resurgence Training Center) launches & Re:Sound (Resurgence Music) launching soon. Re:Bound (Resurgence Basketball Association, also known as The RBA) and Re:Lative (Resurgence Genealogy Project) still in the works.

John Frame: Questions to Ask a Film

Daniel Block: Gideon's Fleece

Jonathan Dodson: Confessions of a Failing Disciple

SBTS Towers: 3 Questions with Tim Keller

Art of Manliness: The Art of Summer Grilling

Keller at Newfrontiers Video

Here's video of Tim Keller speaking at Newfrontiers. I first mentioned the audio here. Individual videos...

• Preaching the Gospel
• The City
• Cultural Transformation

TGC/BoB: Art & Culture in Christian Blogging

I was asked a while back to speak at the Band of Bloggers event at The Gospel Coalition conference, which was this month in Chicago. I was happy to go and be one of the eight panel members discussing being "Servants and Stewards" through our blogs.  Each panelist was given 7 minutes to answer a particular question on blogging.  Mine was "What is the place for art and culture in Christian blogging?"  Here's a general outline/recap of my talk. It always comes out differently than I write it down, but should still be helpful. You can also view the handwritten notes from my Moleskine that I used for my talk (page 1, page 2 - page 2 is really my talk outline and page 1 quotes that I referred back to).

---

*As I stood to talk I took a shot at my friend and co-panelist, Justin Taylor, who has yet to spent $9 on a domain name, but still has one of the best read Christian blogs in the universe. Justin, seriously, buy a domain name. :)

Context

1. Art - Beauty -- mention I don't have the time to explain a theology of the arts; assume the audience assumes it (later quotes should be an encouragement to look further into the arts)

2. Blogs -- mention that because we have different kinds of blogs with different purposes (pastor blogs, church blogs, personal blogs, family blogs, resource blogs, etc). I will explain what I do on my personal/pastoral networking blog and let the audience determine how to best blog on art & culture on their blogs.

3. Christians in general -- mention the need to enjoy, support, and create the arts; our blogs are a good place for us to do that

Abraham Kuyper quote, found in Art for God's Sake by Philip Ryken -- "Like God himself, we have 'the possibility both to create something beautiful, and to delight in it.'" - and I add "...on your blog"

Use the quote for a two part outline, in reverse. As we delight in and create art (and blog on it), we encourage others to do the same.

1. To Delight

Someone who delights in the arts is called an arts patron (observer, supporter, advocate). Use the questions from and Tim Keller quote in "Are you a patron?"

Questions:

Have you attended an arts event or venue in the last six months? (live music concert, museum or gallery, play, dance performance, independent film, etc.)

Do you have a favorite art form that you particularly enjoy experiencing and learning about?

Do you occasionally attend different types of arts events/venues, besides your favorite?

Do you have a favorite artist or arts organization whose work you follow closely?

Do you ever spread the word about a particular arts event or artist?

Do you sometimes look through the Arts section in newspapers or magazines?

Have you financially supported an arts organization or artist (outside of purchasing tickets) in the last year?

Do you know an artist, are you involved in his/her life, and are you actively supporting his/her career?

- The more "yes" answers = the better patron. Where there is a "no" it's good to stretch ourselves.

Quote:

"Christians cannot abdicate the arts to secular society. We must consume, study, and participate in the arts if we are to have a seat at the table. Whether it has a religious theme or strikes us as irreligious, we must be patrons if we are to have an impact on how the world interprets and responds to the arts. We cannot be wary, we cannot be afraid, we cannot be self-righteous. Christians must look, listen, read, and experience the arts if we are to lead our culture to renewal." - Tim Keller (via)

*As I mentioned I was going to quote Keller I took a second to mention my Tim Keller Resources page.  Then I told the attenders that they received a Tim Keller book in their bags (each received 10 books as a part of attendance).  I told them Keller's new book is very short and titled Unfashionable, which includes a lengthy epilogue by Tullian Tchividjian. As you probably know, attenders did get Tullian's book which includes a 3 page forward by Keller. People laughed. [By the way, get Tullian's book. Like it a lot so far. He graciously signed my copy after.]

How I delight in the arts at Reformissionary...

Music Monday: I use my enjoyment of music to fuel a weekly post on music, CD's, music videos, concert experiences, etc.  Illustration: recently at the Brandi Carlile concert my wife, Molly, for the first time heard the background singers because she could see them.  It was a learning moment for her. Patronage increased her appreciation for and delight in music.  Now the CD sounds different to her. As we blog on these kinds of experiences we will encourage others to become a patron and delight as well.

National Poetry Month: Each April I blog on National Poetry Month with numerous poems, poet highlights, videos of poetry readings, etc.  We can take advantage of nationally recognized arts emphases to become patrons and to encourage patronage.

2. To Create

"The characteristic common to God and man is apparently that: the desire and the ability to make things up." - Dorothy Sayers in The Mind of the Maker

"The primal artistic act was God's creation of the universe out of chaos, shaping the formless into form; and every artist since, on a lesser scale, has sought to imitate him." - Perrine's Sound and Sense

How I blog on my creation of art at Reformissionary...

Phriday is for Photos: The last few years I have taken up photography. While I've been a little too infrequent in my Friday photographs lately, it's been a staple at Reformissionary for a long time. When I've slacked I've gotten notes from friends and readers mentioning they've missed it. Because I'm creating and blogging my art, my readers have been an encouragement to me to keep creating. And through blogging my photography I hope I've encouraged my readers to create themselves.  Actually I can say that I have talked to several readers who have taken up photography because (at least in part) they have enjoyed my Phriday is for Photos posts. [One Band of Bloggers attender talked to me after the event and said he just upgraded from a Nikon d50 to d90, to some degree because of my blog. I'm jealous.]

Conclusion: A quote by Luci Shaw from her chapter "Imagination, Beauty, and Creativity" in The Christian Imagination (Ed. Leland Ryken)

"We were each, in the image of our Creator, created to create, to call others back to beauty, and the truth about God's nature, to stop and cry to someone preoccupied or distracted with the superficial, 'Look!' or 'Listen!' when, in something beautiful and meaningful we hear a message from beyond us, and worship in holiness our creator who in his unlimited grace, calls us to become co-creators of beauty."

Select art/culture websites:

• ArtsandLettersDaily.com
• ArtsJournal.com
• CuratorMagazine.com
• InternationalArtsMovement.org (blog)

Select art/culture podcasts:

• IAM Global - outstanding on all arts
• Filmspotting
• NPR All Songs Considered
  
• The Writer's Almanac
• Pen on Fire
• Creative Screenwriting Magazine
• NYT Book Review

Tim Keller: For Such a Time

Dr. Timothy Keller talked in January at Redeemer's Center for Faith and Work (CFW).  In the talk, "For Such a Time", He makes some observations about work in the current economic situation as well as has a question and answer time.

Keller Podcast and Wiki

Dave Ferguson writes...

Last week I got to host another podcast for the Exponential Conference.  This time it was with Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York City.  And Tim was simply brilliant!  At one point in the podcast (I have listened to see if they edited this out) I just start gushing and say, "Tim, I don't care if nobody else listens to this podcast, this is such great stuff, I'm glad that we got to have this conversation!"  So, click HERE and check out some great stuff on church planting and how movements are constructed by Tim Keller.

Also of note, and I just keep forgetting to mention this, the Tim Keller Wiki.

Tim Keller: Newfrontiers

Tim Keller recently teaching at Newfrontiers in London:

1. Preach to Change Them in Their Seats
2. Why Cities Matter
3. Relate to the Culture

(via)

Keller: Parable of the Two Sons

Tim Keller recently spoke at Christ Presbyterian in Nashville on the Parable of the Two Sons.  It's probably similar to his other talks on the subject, but always helpful to hear it. (Audio source. Thanks to Casey, old seminary friend, who passed on the link.)

LifeWay Tim Keller Interview

My buddy, Chris Turner, works at LifeWay and had an opportunity to interview Tim Keller a few days ago.  Go listen. Here's an accompanying blog post from Chris.

As always, you can visit my Tim Keller Resources page for more from Dr. Keller.

Lots-o-Links 12.30.08

Brief Molly Update: Mayo Clinic has turned Molly away.  Twenty minutes before leaving for my Dad's house for Christmas Molly received the letter saying that they turn down a lot of people and that Molly isn't a good candidate for an appointment.  Essentially they don't think they would find a solution to Molly's Chiari issues.  Maybe it's because they know Molly's surgeon is already a recognized expert and he would know more than they would. Dunno. We can appeal that decision by sending any info that may change their minds.  I don't know that we have anything like that.  Still looking into it, and other options.  Molly has been sleeping a lot better with her new sleep meds.  Glad for that.

Two quick prayer requests...

• David Wayne (JollyBlogger) has colon cancer and is now home after surgery.
• A good friend and pastor, Shawn Kemp (no, not that one), has to go 3 weeks without talking: "I have a cyst on my vocal cord. I have to go without talking for three weeks in an attempt to let it heal. If it doesn't heal, I will have to have surgery to remove it....there is a risk that it would leave me permanently hoarse."

Links...

Run to Amazon to download The 99 Most Essential Beethoven Masterpieces for $1.99.  World class orchestras and artists in this collection.  I'm listening to it now and it's wonderful.  C'mon, 2 bucks!  Go get it now because the SALE ENDS TODAY!

2009 is the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, so decorate your church stage with tulips!  Or maybe make it a year of reading Calvin.  Here's a year through the Institutes reading guide.  The Reformation 21 guys are blogging through Calvin's Institutes in 2009 (You can request a reading schedule).  John Piper's new book John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God is officially released tomorrow.  Piper's pastor's conference message on Calvin is also worth a listen (or re-listen).

I don't think I've linked to this yet (and it's late), but Tim Keller had a Christmas article in Christianity Today: "The Advent of Humility."

JD Greear:

• The Three Things I Pray Each Morning to "Center" on the Gospel
• Why The Multi-Site Strategy is Biblical and Can Be the Wisest Course of Action for a Congregation: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Todd Hiestand: Books of 2008 - Leadership

Barnabas Piper: 22 things I admire about my parents on their 40th anniversary

Tim Chester has a new book coming out - The Ordinary Hero: Living the Cross and Resurrection

Virtual church leader hangout at www.churchstaffbreakroom.com

The year in photographs - 2008

Tim Keller: The Gospel and the Poor

It's a Keller-centered day here at Reformissionary. The new issue of Themelios is out (also PDF) which includes "The Gospel and the Poor" by Timothy Keller.  This was originally a paper presented at The Gospel Coalition's Pastors' Colloquium last summer.

--> Via Jim Hamilton, who also has an article with a very Baptist title. :)

Update: I also noticed a glowing review of Culture Making by Andy Crouch in this issue.

Tim Keller: Urban Plant Life

Thanks to emailer Colin Millar of Belfast, Northern Ireland, you have three new talks by Timothy Keller.  Keller spoke at a church planting conference called Urban Plant Life in late November. 

1. Contextual Mission
2. Church and Culture
3. Gospel Renewal

The original links to the conference talks are at the London City Mission site.  You can stream the messages there rather than downloading if you like, but that's like going to P.F. Chang's once without ever returning.  It's just stupid.  Enjoy!

By the way, the beginning of the first talk Keller talks about what "missional" is, what a "missional church" looks like. The whole talk is in that direction, but the start was particularly interesting.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Crossway has put out a wonderful, small book for Advent called Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas . It contains 22 4-8 page readings from sermons and works of dead folks (like Martin Luther, J.C. Ryle, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and more) and living folks (like Tim Keller, J.I. Packer, R.C. Sproul, Joni Eareckson Tada, John Piper, and others). Pick it up.

Here's an excerpt from Tim Keller's chapter, "The Gift of Christmas"...

When September 11th happened and New Yorkers started to suffer, you heard two voices. You heard the conventional moralistic voices saying, "When I see you suffer, it tells me about a judging God. You must not be living right, and so God is judging you." When they see suffering they see a judgmental God.

The secular voice said, "When I see people suffering, I see God is missing." When they see suffering they see an absent, indifferent God.

But when we see Jesus Christ dying on the cross through an act of violence and injustice, what kind of God do we see then? A condemning God? No, we see a God of love paying for sin. Do we see a missing God? Absolutely not! We see a God who is not remote but involved.

We sometimes wonder why God doesn't just end suffering. But we know that whatever the reason, it isn't one of indifference or remoteness. God so hates suffering and evil that he was willing to come into it and become enmeshed in it.

Attracting the Irreligious

Jesus's teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of his day. However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect. The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches, even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church. That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did. If our churches aren't appealing to younger brothers, they must be more full of elder brothers than we'd like to think.

Tim Keller in The Prodigal God, 14-15.